Christine Phares

I attribute much of my success to a combination of relationship-building, adaptability, and genuinely caring about the mission behind the work. I’ve always believed that people do their best work when they feel supported, heard, and connected to something meaningful, and that mindset has shaped how I lead, collaborate, and advocate throughout my career.

I also think my background in education gave me a unique foundation. Starting as a teacher taught me how to communicate clearly, stay flexible under pressure, build trust quickly, and understand that every person and community has different needs. Those skills translated naturally into nonprofit leadership and philanthropy, where relationships and storytelling are just as important as strategy and data.

At the same time, I’m very driven. I’m someone who will keep learning, keep refining, and keep finding solutions even when things are complicated. Nonprofit work requires balancing mission, funding, operations, and human relationships all at once, and I’ve learned how important it is to stay grounded, collaborative, and solutions-oriented.

Most importantly, I never lose sight of the “why.” The work we do impacts real children, families, and communities, and remembering that keeps me motivated to continue growing and pushing for meaningful change.

The best career advice I’ve ever received was that success isn’t linear. Growth rarely happens in a straight line, and some of the most valuable experiences come from unexpected pivots, setbacks, or moments where you feel uncertain about what’s next.

That advice changed the way I view both leadership and personal growth. Early in my career, I thought success meant having everything mapped out perfectly, but over time I realized that some of my biggest opportunities came from taking risks, being adaptable, and staying open to paths I never originally planned for myself.

Working in nonprofit leadership has reinforced that perspective even more. The work is constantly evolving, and you have to learn how to navigate challenges, shifting priorities, and moments that stretch you professionally and personally. I’ve learned that resilience, flexibility, and a willingness to keep growing are often more important than having a perfectly predictable career path.

I would tell young women entering this industry: don’t apologize for taking up space. Take your seat at the table, trust your expertise, and stop minimizing your voice just to make other people comfortable.

I would also say that your work-life balance and personal well-being matter just as much as the mission. One of the biggest challenges in nonprofit work is that many women are taught to believe they should sacrifice themselves for the cause because they care deeply and lead with empathy. But your value should not decrease because you work in a mission-driven field, and burnout should never be worn like a badge of honor.

The nonprofit sector is made up primarily of women, yet many women in this work are still underpaid, overextended, and made to feel guilty for setting boundaries. You can care deeply about a mission while also advocating for the salary, environment, flexibility, and support you deserve. The right organization will value both your contribution and your well-being.

I’d also encourage women not to stay in environments that constantly drain them or make them lose themselves. Not every workplace is the right fit, and that’s okay. Keep moving until you find the environment that allows you to thrive professionally and personally. You cannot pour into others effectively if you are completely depleted yourself.

And finally: get a mentor. Find people who will advocate for you, challenge you, encourage you, and help you navigate the parts of leadership and career growth that no one formally teaches you. Having the right mentors can completely change the trajectory of your career and your confidence.

One of the biggest challenges in the nonprofit and philanthropy space right now is sustainability, not just financially for organizations, but for the people doing the work. We’re navigating an increasingly uncertain financial climate, ongoing shifts and reductions in federal funding, rising operational costs, and growing community needs all at the same time. Meanwhile, there are more nonprofits competing for limited funding sources, which has made the sector significantly more competitive and pressured than it was even a few years ago.

At the same time, demand for services continues to rise, especially in areas tied to youth development, mental health, family stability, and prevention-based programming. Organizations are being asked to do more with less, and that pressure often falls heavily on the workforce itself. Burnout, turnover, and staffing shortages are major conversations across the sector right now.

I also think there’s a larger conversation happening around how women are treated in mission-driven work. Women make up the majority of the nonprofit workforce, yet many are still underpaid, overextended, or made to feel like sacrificing their well-being is simply part of caring about the mission. I think the sector is beginning to challenge that mindset more openly, which is an important and overdue shift.

At the same time, I see a lot of opportunity in the field. Nonprofits are becoming more collaborative, more data-informed, and more focused on long-term impact rather than short-term fixes. There’s also growing recognition that preventative, relationship-based work, especially in youth development and mental health, creates deeper and more sustainable change for communities over time.

I also think the next generation entering this field is helping reshape workplace culture in meaningful ways. Younger professionals are advocating more openly for boundaries, flexibility, transparency, and healthier leadership environments, and I think that evolution is necessary. Caring deeply about a mission and caring about the people doing the work should go hand in hand.

I believe influence is much more than visibility or titles - it's about creating meaningful impact and building opportunities for others, and helping move systems forward in ways that genuinely improve people's lives. A lot of my work happens behind the scenes, whether it's helping communities secure resources, or organizations grow sustainability, or ensuring that children and families have long-term support and stability. I think it's important for women to see leadership represented in different ways - you don't have to fit one mold to be influential. Sometimes influence looks like being the loudest person in the room, and sometimes it looks like being the person building the infrastructure behind the scenes that helps everyone succeed. Everything I do is based in youth development and supporting youth who don't have the same equitable opportunities as others, and supporting kids who experience systemic challenges through no fault of their own. I've always gravitated towards organizations that do that and do it well, and I focus on work that is truly collaborative and mission-driven, and focused on lasting change.